U-19 Cricket: Yohan gathers momentum as Bata-ST Most Popular Cricketer nears end

The deficit between the top two contender for the 37th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2016 competition has drastically reduced to a mere 892 as the 14th week's outcome is released. 

By last week, top placed Pawan Dias of Royal College Panadura and second placed Yohan Mendis of S. Thomas' College was 3688 but by this week the latter has showed vast improvement while indicating his willingness to become the eventual winner. 

With the competition due to end in three more weeks, Yohan has accelerated his speed by adding 3138 votes in the ended week, taking his tally to 10687. 

Pawan, on the other hand, has slowed down heavily, adding just 342 to his total, which stand at 11579 now. 

Interestingly Lahiru Thambawita of Holy Cross College Kalutara, who was marked as a threat to Pawan, only added six votes to his total and now sits way behind the top two with a tally of 7434. 

The eventual winner of the battle is still undecided and the battle until then can be more intense and close with the deadline for receiving coupons set for June 16. 

At fourth is Lakshina Rodrigo of St. Peter's College followed by Ravin Sayer of Trinity College remains at fifth. 

Madawa Fernando of De La Salle College Mutwal moves on for the 14th continuous week as the undisputed leader of the Emerging Schools category while Dilshan Madushanka of Siri Piyarathana Central Padukka sits unbothered at second place. 

Coupons of the 37th Bata-the Sunday Times Most Popular Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year 2015 will appear on Wijeya Newspaper’s dailies, the Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa and also its weekend English issue, the Sunday Times and the Sinhala weekly Deshaya. 

Readers will be able to send in as much as coupons in favour of their favourite schoolboy cricketer until 12.00 noon on June 16. 

The final coupon will appear on June 12. 

All-Island Schools 

Pawan Dias (Royal College Panadura) 11579 

Yohan Mendis (S. Thomas’ College) 10687 

Lahiru Thambawita (Holy Cross College) 7434 

Lakshina Rodrigo (St. Peter’s College) 1786 

Ravin Sayer (Trinity College) 511 

Malshan Rodrigo (St. Joseph’s College) 304 

Kevin Perera (Maris Stella Negombo) 212 

Pasindu Sooriyabandara (Royal College Colombo) 168 

Geethal Fernando (St. Benedict’s College) 148 

Sachinda Gamadikari (Maris Stella College) 104 

Emerging Schools 

Madawa Fernando (De La Salle College Mutwal) 2489 

Dilshan Madushanka (Siri Piyarathana Padukka) 104 

Riyaz Rizvy (Azhar College Akurana) 2